Sébastien Loeb

The free encyclopedia Sébastien Loeb (born February 26, 1974) is a French rally driver and winner, with co-driver Daniel Elena, of the World Rally Driver's Championship title in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and of a record ten World Rallies in 2005. Loeb has the most WRC wins with 38 and is one of the most successful rallymen in history. He is also a two-time winner at the Race of Champions, after taking home the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy and the title "Champion of Champions" in 2003 and 2005. In 2004, he won the Nations' Cup for France with Jean Alesi.

Loeb and Elena at the 2001 Rally Finland Early career Loeb and Elena at the 2001 Rally Finland Loeb was born in Haguenau, Alsace, and grew up in Oberhoffen-sur-Moder. Sébastien Loeb competed as gymnast and became 4 times Alsatian champion, once champion of the French Grand East, and 5th in the French Championship.[1] In 1995, at age 21, he turned his interests to racing. In 1998, he started entering events in the French Citroën Saxo Trophy series, winning the title in 1999. Guy Fréquelin, Citroën Sport's Team Principal, would serve as Loeb's mentor as he entered the Junior World Rally Championship, which he conquered in 2001. During this year, he was also released for participation in one World Rally Championship event in the Citroën Xsara, where in Sanremo he surprisingly hounded Peugeot tarmac wizard and eventual victor Gilles Panizzi to the finish.

2002–2003 2002 would be Loeb's first season as a WRC driver with the Citroën Total World Rally Team, although the team only disputed a limited number of rounds in the build-up to their full entry the following year. He won the Rally Germany, the first event of his flourishing career, although on road he also won the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo. His victory was taken away by a controversial time penalty after the last stage, which gave victory to second placed Tommi Mäkinen. In 2003, his first full season in the championship, Loeb won three WRC events before losing to Petter Solberg in Wales Rally Great Britain and also losing the championship to Solberg by just one point. Loeb's reputation grew as he defeated his more illustrious team mates - Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae - over the course of the season.

Sébastien Loeb Career Early career

What a bummer being a driver! Difficult to drive Among the many dreams which haunt the average man’s nights, being a professional driver is likely to come in first. As in a dream, you are apt to imagine the most attractive aspects of the job: business class flights, limousines at the airport, luxury hotels and top models ready to throw themselves at your feet In brief, a star life! Not only the reality is quite far from the dream, but it also makes you realize that sometimes the pleasure can be paid the full price. Indeed, the dream disregards -among other things- the amount of work the high-level requires. Here is a small photo gallery to come back down to Earth and to remind you that as regards motor sports, the hassle is never very far. But don’t let this reality keeping you from dreaming!

Severine Loeb Severine Loeb Love “My partner, my friend, my accomplice, my wife, my right hand and sometimes my copilot. For the rest, it is between her and me!” Seb

Edited by: Rafael Campos Nº 11 CEF FIM